A Worthy Gamble
by sweetMagdalene
Summary: Emma risks making a deal with Hook in order to retrieve information about Regina's plans for Storybrooke and Henry. Little does she know that he has a plan of his own – a pirate's gamble that will drastically change their relationship, for better or for worse.


CS One Shot: A Worthy Gamble

Summary: Emma risks making a deal with Hook in order to retrieve information about Regina's plans for Storybrooke and Henry. Little does she know that he has a plan of his own – a pirate's gamble that will drastically change their relationship, for better or for worse.

Word Count: 2, 831

Rating: T

A/N: My CS muse was reawakened by the wonderful amiserablelove25, so you have her to thank for this little one shot as well! Also, for those LOST fans, this scene might ring a little bell as to what happened between Kate and Sawyer way back in season one. Trying to recreate the sexy ;P

"Are these _really_ necessary, love?"

His droll voice came from his slumped position against the skinny white birch tree, arms pulled behind him as Emma tied them together around the middle. Hook's neck strained to watch her from her position at the tree's back, fingers working quickly to lace her red scarf around both his hook and struggling right hand.

"Yes," Emma spit back at him from around the rough trunk as she pulled extra hard one last time on the on the feeble knot. She knew it wasn't her most impressive methods of detainment, but she kept telling herself it had to be done.

Which it did. Of Course.

"If I'm really going to go through with this," Emma continued as she came around the tree to stand in front of Hook, a pained look on her face as she met his arrogant expression, "you better believe that I'm going to be the one in control."

"A woman in control," Hook replied, looking over her forceful stance, arms folded across her chest and chin raised in the air to look down on his bent form. "I'm glad you know what I like, Swan." He licked his lips suggestively, finally meeting her eyes.

Momentarily entranced by his mouth, Emma unintentionally gawked at him with her own lips parted in an unwanted desire that rushed into her veins. Her eyes widened as she realized her blatant staring, Hook's grin spreading over his face at her dumb-struck look.

Her eyebrows drew together in annoyance and she glared at the smile that stayed rooted in his blue eyes, mocking her. Emma uncrossed her arms and stepped closer to him, digging her fists into his leather clad torso. Punching his still bruised sides he collapsed to his knees, and emitted a noise that was half an angry groan, and half a deep chuckle that he forced out to keep his cool demeanor.

"Just like you to kick a man while he's down," Hook wheezed out, head bowed to hide the discomfort shown on his face.

"Hey, you're the one that dragged me all the way out here to meet you. Blackmail is a dangerous game, Hook. I hope you know what you're doing."

He looked back up at her, smiling again. "Oh love, I wouldn't call it blackmail – merely a bargain of sorts. You get want you want, in return for something that _I _want." Hook's grin only widened as he continued. "What I want just happens to be something both of us can enjoy." His eyebrows raised suggestively.

Emma placed a look of disgust on her face as she fought with the creature dancing in the pit of her stomach. She hated the affect he had on her body while her mind was trying to remain in control.

She deepened her glare to try and combat the heat in her face and neck at his wandering eyes. She kept her height above him as she moved closer to his slumped body, attempting to remove her face from his line of sight.

"I expected more class from you, Hook. For a pirate with as big an ego as yours, it must be hard for you to have to barter information for petty kisses."

Emma's heart did a little leap in her chest as she celebrated her short victory, thinking that she had put him in his place, and a satisfied smirk appeared on her lips. The slight leap however transformed quickly into wild, heavy thumps as Hook's face became serious and he looked up at her from his position on his knees. His pale skin shone bright in the soft moonlight that filtered through the heavy forest around them, and Emma could have sworn that his blue eyes turned several shades darker as they peered up at her through the soft black fringe that fell across his forehead.

"There's no such thing as a _petty_ kiss, darling - they all mean something, in the end."

Emma wanted to laugh at the unexpected profoundness from the innuendo spewing pirate, but as her eyes continued to linger on Hook's steely gaze the sound refused to rise from her throat. Her next words held much more weight than she had intended.

"Underneath all that crude male bravado, I didn't peg you as the romantic type." She was trying to throw a well-aimed wrench into his unwavering confidence. But Emma hadn't anticipated the strange, serious route this encounter had taken, and he threw her off course once again.

"Then you don't know me at all."

Hook's eyes still hadn't left hers and she felt trapped, even though she had an easy exit in every direction and her captor was incapacitated in front of her.

Recovering quickly, Emma attempted to refocus on the task before her. Hook had information about Regina's plans, and in order to keep Henry safe she was willing to go to any means necessary to extract the details from Hook. And after he assured her that she didn't have any material currency that struck his fancy, he offered a more physical payment for his co-operation.

At first Emma had utterly refused the deal, finding his request pathetic and beneath her moral standards. But as a few days went by with no sign of Regina, and Henry acting stranger and stranger, Emma caved to his demands. Sending him a note in secret they had decided to meet here, in the woods by the docks. And as risqué as it felt, Emma was more concerned about passers-by mistaking their exchange as something more, so she preferred the "midnight rendezvous" as Hook had called it, much to her annoyance.

"Whatever, Hook. Let's just get this over with," Emma demanded, maintaining her concrete expression.

A few seconds passed in silence, the cool soft winds filling the space around them and Emma avoided his eyes watching her.

"As much as I'd love to, Swan," Hook gave a slight cough and spoke up, his voice slicing through the night, "I think you're going to have to take the lead on this one." He gestured to his restraints by tugging futility on them and looking back to her.

"Uh, right," Emma blurted out, embarrassed that Hook could sense her apprehension. She wanted to just get it over with. Just one little peck, like you'd do with an old friend or favourite sibling. In the back of her mind and the pit of her stomach however, she knew that Hook would never be either of those things.

Emma was so nervous that even as she lowered herself to her knees in front of him she forgot to chastise him for using the phrase _"this one."_ Like there was ever going to be _another_ kiss. And she reprimanded herself for causing him to fall in front of the tree, for she didn't think this one simple kiss could get any more complicated.

As she positioned herself close to him on the ground Emma kept her spine as straight as possible, attempting to keep up the air of professionalism that she continued to pretend this interaction was about. Hoping that Hook wasn't watching her, she closed her eyes for a brief second and took a deep breath in, chasing the nerves out with one final sigh.

Unbeknownst to her, Hook witnessed this gathering of courage and smiled. His plan was working. He was helping break down the walls she'd put up against him and everyone else – causing her to test the waters. And he was going to make this work. He had to.

The deep breath she'd taken before she leaned into him had given him hope – an acknowledgement that he was, despite her incessant denial, having an effect on her. Hook was gambling a lot with this dangerous ruse. He was just hoping it would be worth it.

Even though they were both on their knees, Hook's legs had fallen to an awkward angle, and Emma's face rose a few inches above his own. He wanted to let her think she was in control for as long as possible. It wouldn't last much longer.

She leaned in slowly, her face showing similar restraint to those that kept Hook's arms out of reach of her. Feeble and makeshift and a pretense that satisfied her alone. Her eyes darted between each of his quickly before finally closing tightly, much like a child's would in the sight of an unpleasant dinner, wrinkles forming in their corners.

Hook was not happy with this reaction from Emma, and instead of allowing her to complete the movement forward he rose higher on his knees and captured her lips by surprise. A small squeal came from the back of her throat before he parted her lips by force and trust his tongue into her mouth before she could protest.

To both of their surprise, and Hook's luck, Emma didn't shy away from the rash action but rather relaxed her face and let a long breath out through her nose. She collapsed into his slumped body, her fingers going to the lapels on his long black coat and holding his body to hers as she slumped into him unconsciously. Emma began meeting his kisses with equal vigour, relishing the feel of his uncharacteristically soft lips and the gentle way in which he massaged her tongue with his own, a back and forth of teasing flicks followed by languid strokes as he sucked on her now swollen mouth .

When they broke apart Hook grinned at Emma, both relieved that she'd let go of her wall, and blown away by the aching in his chest she brought upon him with her lips. The sensations left behind by her intimate touch were not enough to satisfy the creature now growing inside him after sampling a taste of her, and with every glance he could only think of how he needed those lips on him again.

At the sight of Hook's mesmerized smile Emma let out a soft giggle, smiling herself. Two minutes earlier she was revolted at the idea of such an intimate act with the untrustworthy pirate, but now Emma had forgotten everything except the feel of his scruff on her chin as his skilled tongue explored her mouth. She wanted to wipe the smile off his face with her own lips and enjoy their secret tryst for just a little bit longer.

"_Emma_," Hook sighed, finally catching his breath as he stared wantonly at her open pink mouth.

She could see his arms struggling behind him as Hook tried to work himself out of her red scarf and this is what broke any remaining restraint that she was holding within her. He wanted her. She wanted _him_.

Emma's hands dove into his already wind-mused hair and she placed her lips back on his, the both of them groaning immediately in satisfaction and desire. The heady sounds came from the back of their throats, their vibrations mingling and causing Emma to deepen the kiss - this time with her own agenda.

Placing her body flush with Hook's, her breasts pressed thrillingly to his own chest, Emma laced her arms over the tops of his shoulders and deeper into his black mop of hair. They continued to kiss at a frenzied pace, expelling all the sexual tension that had built up over the last few months, and Emma shifted her legs so that they became interlocked like puzzle pieces. Her left leg fitting in close between his leather breaches, as his pressed excitingly into her own core.

Hook's mouth detached from her hurriedly as he felt her breasts pressing high up on his chest, teasing him, and he attacked her throat with hot open-mouthed kisses that made a trail down to the low neckline of her top. Hook tried to nudge her jacket open further with his nose, tickling Emma's skin with his scratchy stubble and she laughed, a new friction created between their bodies that caused Hook to return his mouth to hers with an increased hunger.

They quickly became a jumbled heap on the forest floor as Emma's arms traveled over every inch of him, while Hook tried to keep up with her despite his annoying handicap. His knees slid out from under him and Emma eventually set up camp across his lap.

Hook had figured that they had been consumed for a generous ten minutes before he worked up the courage to make a request. As Emma broke away from his lips to kiss across his law line and place the sweetest of kisses at the hollow underneath his ear, Hook spoke up in a desperate whisper.

"Untie me." He tugged at the scarf to illustrate his need but Emma hadn't heard him.

"Hmm?" Emma was kissing her way down his neck and clearly too concentrated to notice his struggles.

Hook spoke up louder, his voice thick with desire. "Untie me, Emma."

Emma's head slowly broke away from its path on his skin to look at his face questioningly. She could see the blatant need on Hook's face, his eyes hooded with want for her.

It was like she was pulled out of a dream at the most exciting part, a gust of cool wind snapping her back to reality. Emma glanced down at her position on Hook's lap, the disorderly state of both their clothes, and finally to his hand and hook tied together at the tree's base, her red scarf falling below them into the leafy dirt bed.

Regaining her composure, a slight smile still on her face, she looked back at him coyly.

"Give me the info first. This_ is_ a business transaction, after all."

Initially, Hook admired the way Emma was willing to play along with the little game he had concocted, however he felt sick now that he realized it was over.

He remained quiet, trying to choose his words carefully, and refused to meet her expectant gaze.

Emma's expression quickly turned to worry as the seconds ticked by.

"Regina's plans, Hook - What. Are. They?" She was no longer in the mood for patience.

He bowed his head, still reluctant to meet her eyes.

"She never told me," he whispered solemnly.

"What?!" Emma yelled, scrambling to her feet. Hook rose to his feet to face her wrath, but remained slumped against the tree for support. He was guessing that he'd need it soon enough.

Hook took a deep breath. "She never explained the details, only that she planned on taking your son with her somewhere. She did mention something about magic beans – "

_WHACK!_

Emma's right fist tore through the air at a rapid speed, surprising Hook as it landed square on his jaw, a loud cracking sound reverberating throughout the desolate forest, ringing through both their ears.

Hook fell this time, his arms twisting at an odd angle while his body snaked around the side of the small tree, it almost cracking under his weight.

Groaning in his well-deserved pain, Hook almost didn't hear the stomping of her boots as she made her way quickly back to the edge of the tree line – the way towards town.

"Emma, wait!" He choked out, both wanting to apologize and not be left stranded outside all night.

"I'll send someone to retrieve you later!" She spat back at him, her stubborn walk turning into a run as she dashed through the trees, leaving Hook alone with the echo of her voice traveling back to him on the cool night air.

He was despicable. He knew it. But as the sharp ache in his jaw ebbed into a dull throb while he waited for rescue, Hook took satisfaction in his small victory.

Emma had come undone around him. Her walls had fallen and she'd stepped beyond their reach – until he had given her reason to build them back up again within the matter of a millisecond. But he contemplated his next course of action with the trees his only company.

Hook surmised gleefully as he saw a tall figure emerging from the distant trees almost an hour later, that as a true gambler, he better be willing to lose a few games in order to detect the weaknesses in his opponents.

He had done that tonight, and boy, Emma Swan had the most dangerous weakness of all.

_Him_.

Thoughts? R&R XD3


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